Fishing is a very popular sport. In many cases, the fisherman does not need to eat the animal or fish which is caught, or for reasons of conservation desires to return the animal to the water. Part of the sport of fishing entails a struggle against the fish. When the fish is caught, it may often be because it is exhausted, and cannot any longer resist the line. Such fish or animals, because of their exhaustion, may not survive being removed from the hook and being returned to the aqueous medium, because of the combined effects of oxygen deprivation and the injury attributable to the hook or gaff.
Methods are known for oxygenating fish, as for example the arrangement described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,880, issued Jun. 22, 1993 in the name of Alworth et al. In this arrangement, the fish is placed upright in an aqueous medium through which oxygen is bubbled. Improved fish resuscitation apparatus and methods are desired.